To the Moon (2011)

Contrary to what is usual in the gaming industry, it is extremely likely that the story of To the Moon was developed before its gameplay. Nevertheless, by emphasizing the construction of the narrative rather than how its events are controlled or guided by the player, the Freebird Games team still manages to create a unique and unforgettable experience. In To the Moon it’s the story that captivates, the gameplay is just a mere tool to narrate it.

The game tells the story of two scientists, Eva Rosalene and Neil Watts, who are hired to realize the dream of Johnny, an old man on his deathbed: go to the Moon. Through a strange machine, the two are capable of enter into the subconscious of their clients and relive their memories, where they must plant the seed of the idea that will lead the subjects to reach their respective desires. As the client of the day wants to go to the moon, both plan to implant in his childhood the aspiration to become an astronaut, with the only obstacle residing in the fact that they can only move through the memories gradually, always starting with the most recent. Because of this narrative structure, it can be said that in a strange cinematic metaphor, To the Moon is the love child of a relationship between Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Inception and Amnesia –with the graphic style of a Super Nintendo RPG.

At first, the game uses a simple but efficient formula: Neil and Eva enter into a memory, relive it, and then begin to collect fragments of the next – these fragments are symbolized by colored orbs – to be able to break Johnny’s subconscious protection and use a specific object as a door to more distant memories. It is at this point that the “gamey” part of To the Moon comes into play. Controlling one of the scientists by click of the mouse, the players must investigate the objects in the environments until they can find those who release these fragments. This dynamic, although very basic, is very efficient when used to guide the players, preventing them from getting lost without knowing what to do. However, to break the “protection” of the object that will carry the scientists to the next memory, the players must solve, for reasons that even the developers probably can’t fathom, a puzzle in which they must turn on the correct order columns and rows of pieces that form the frame of that object. Fortunately, none of these puzzles are frustrating and most can be completed in a matter of minutes.

But as stated previously, To the Moon’s the great attraction is its story. Being narrated backwards, it accompanies Johhny’s life being deconstructed, while both scientists try to understand the reasons why he wants to go to the moon and observe, with an efficient dose of criticism, all stages of his relationship with his wife. Also worthy of praise is the game’s prose, after all, thanks to the use of situations and dialogues that sound authentic, it achieves the feat of making Johnny’s romance cause empathy, especially if it is taken into account that the old man and his wife are two ugly and outdated blocks of sprites. Eva Rosalene and Neil Watts are also not far behind in terms of development, and the dynamic between the two is well-crafted and entertaining, serving as a comic relief at various times. And as the two work invading memories every day, the often cynical way they see the events is extremely curious, with highlight to the nerd jokes of Neil (“Hadouken!”) and the gradual way with which the two begin to construct different opinions about Johhny’s life, which results in a satisfactory climax that draws on the great “Dumbledore” reflection: “It is not because it is happening in your mind that it is not real.”

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